I have returned to using Winget, the Linux-based tool to manage software, and I recommend its use to our Windows friends.

Winget

Many years ago, I think I remember seeing a dinosaur at that time, a friend from an online community spoke to me for the second time – before another acquaintance had done so – about Linux. What I liked the most was being able to install, for example, with sudo apt install vlc. Fast and easy. For four years, Windows users do something like, and the tool is called Winget.

Also a long time ago, so long that I don't remember if it was for Windows or Mac OS X, the current macOS, I used a tool that told me What software did you have to update and even allowed you to install new versions? of the programs. Winget also allows you to do something like this, and that is why I recommend its use to our Windows friends.

How to use Winget

Use Winget for Linux users it is the simplest, since the most and the least of us have ever done it on a system with the Linus Torvalds kernel. It is installed by default, and the only thing you have to remember is the name of the "package manager", Winget. To install a program, we will open the Windows Terminal application and write something like this:

winget install vlc

The previous command shows us two results: the first is the version from the Microsoft Store, and the second is from Winget. This is a good time to explain where the software comes from: it does so official sources and/or GitHub. For example, if we install GIMP, it will do so by downloading from the same link that we click on if we are the ones who go to its website.

Launch Winget to install VLC

When there are two options, as is the case with VLC, you have to repeat the command, but this time putting the text in the "Origin" column instead of "vlc", in this case "VideoLAN.VLC" without the quotes. As a note, and just like in Linux, you can add several packages separated by a space.

Another way to do it is with winget search 'paquete' which will show the previous result, and also other packages related to that search. In the VLC example the UMP option from the Microsoft Store also appears.

Updating packages

But more interesting than the above is the possibility of updating packages from Winget. The following command will show us the programs that have pending updates:

winget upgrade

If we want to update a package, we must add the ID of the result match to the above. If there is no program that we want to maintain, that is, if we want to update everything, we can do it with the following command:

winget upgrade -h --all

Now, we are using Windows, not Linux, and I say this because the speed and the way it works is not the same. It will download each and every program that needs to be updated, and if one weighs 500mb, that will have to be downloaded. In Linux, since there are usually dependencies, the programs weigh less.

It is also possible and even we will probably see an installer. There are programs, few, but there are, in which no action will be necessary on the part of the user, but in most cases we have to accept the notice that informs us that we are going to make changes to the operating system. Sometimes we even have to indicate where the installation is to take place and complete the rest of the configuration.

What do I miss?

Besides the fact that it is not Linux, of course, what I miss this tool It is an option that allows you to install directly from a source. For example, I would never install VLC from the Microsoft Store, and it would be nice if there was a flag to indicate to install directly from Winget, if the option exists.

But hey, it's Windows, a system that readers of this medium, like editors, don't like as much. And with Winget software installation is much easier. Just not having to search the Internet and update from the terminal is worth it.


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